First Taiwanese boats to mainland in 50 years<\/p>\n
XIAMEN, China (Reuters): The first Taiwan boats in more than
\n50 years to make legal, direct trips to the Chinese mainland
\ndocked in the southeastern province of Fujian on Tuesday, port
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
The historic trips by two passenger vessels from Taiwan's
\nfrontline islands of Quemoy and Matsu marked a small but
\nsignificant step in Beijing's push for full trade, transport and
\npostal exchanges with its longtime rival.<\/p>\n
The largely symbolic landings signaled the formal start of
\n\"mini three links\" across the few miles of sea separating the
\nheavily fortified islands from the mainland.<\/p>\n
Taiwan's stock market closed more than four percent higher on
\nTuesday on hopes the establishment of limited direct transport
\nand trade links with mainland China will ease political tensions.
\nChina-related stocks were big gainers.<\/p>\n
Chinese markets were unmoved by the event, which has not been
\nreported by state-controlled media.<\/p>\n
The 4,700-ton Taima arrived in the Fujian capital of Fuzhou
\ncarrying a group of 498 pilgrims and 16 reporters led by Matsu
\ncounty commissioner Liu Li-chyun.<\/p>\n
An hour later, the 200-ton Taiwu docked in Xiamen carrying a
\n192-member delegation from Quemoy led by county commissioner Chen
\nShui-tsai. It was accompanied by a second ship carrying cargo.<\/p>\n
\"This is like coming back to my home soil,\" Chen told
\nreporters in Xiamen. \"Quemoy and Xiamen are just 6,000 metres
\napart but the journey took 52 years.\"<\/p>\n
The ships, not flying Taiwan's national flag, were given
\nlittle in the way of welcoming ceremonies by China, which says
\nthe opening does not go far enough and calls for direct trade and
\ntravel between China and all of Taiwan.<\/p>\n
China's Foreign Trade Ministry issued a statement saying
\nTaipei had \"abandoned the main road to take the small road\" in
\nstopping short of allowing full links across the strait.<\/p>\n
\"These are not direct links in the true sense and
\nfundamentally do not meet the demand for cross-strait flows of
\ngoods and people,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
Beijing grudgingly went along with Taiwan's unilateral
\narrangement for limited exchanges, but has barred foreign media
\ncoverage to avoid giving rival Taiwan a publicity coup. China has
\nnot announced any plans to send ships to Quemoy or Matsu.<\/p>\n
Taiwan reporters were allowed to disembark at Fuzhou, but were
\nnot permitted to bring television cameras. Those arriving at
\nXiamen were allowed to shoot video of the event.<\/p>\n
Quemoy delegation head Chen met Xiamen mayor Zhu Yayan and
\ninvited him to visit the island. Zhu did not give a reply.<\/p>\n
Last month, Taipei approved limited direct trade and transport
\nlinks between Fujian province, Matsu and Quemoy, islands which
\nhave been economic backwaters at the front line of Taiwan's
\ndefenses against China since 1949.<\/p>\n
Taiwan has banned direct trade, travel and postal links with
\nChina since 1949, after Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist troops lost
\nto the Communists and fled into exile.<\/p>\n
Since rapprochement began in the late 1980s, all trade and
\ntravel has been routed through Hong Kong or other places.<\/p>\n
Taiwan hopes direct travel between its frontier islands and
\nChina will ease the tension that has kept the rivals on a war
\nfooting for more than five decades. China shelled Quemoy, also
\nknown as Kinmen, in August 1958 and intermittently until 1979.<\/p>\n
Only residents of Quemoy and Matsu are permitted to travel
\ndirectly to Xiamen and Fuzhou, favorite investment sites for
\nTaiwan businesses. Other Taiwan travelers, as well as cargo, must
\nstill go through Hong Kong or other territories.<\/p>\n
Beijing, which insists the landmark voyages are merely
\ndomestic trips, appears eager to avoid presenting the limited
\nexchanges as a diplomatic breakthrough.<\/p>\n
The Chinese cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office issued a directive
\nordering mainland authorities to give the travelers from Taiwan a
\nwarm welcome but to keep a lid on publicity.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong media quoted the policymaking body as saying Beijing
\nfeared Taipei would trumpet the new links as a policy success for
\nTaiwan President Chen Shui-bian and a relaxation in cross-strait
\nties, which have been especially tense recently.<\/p>\n
Chen, elected last March, is regarded with special wariness by
\nBeijing because his Democratic Progressive Party espouses Taiwan
\nindependence. China fears Chen will use the boat trips as an
\nexcuse to procrastinate on political talks, the reports said.<\/p>\n
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has
\nthreatened to attack if the island declares independence or drags
\nits feet on reunification talks. Taipei says it has been a
\nsovereign state for decades.<\/p>",
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